The present invention relates to a universal mounting and locking device, particularly mounting and locking portable items to a structure that is less or not portable, and more particularly mounting and locking tool storage containers and portable items to buildings, vehicles and non-portable items.
The vehicles have for many years been a means for the storing and transportation of equipment and tools, while storage containers on vehicles almost always are either permanently mounted or loosely placed. A loosely placed container may use a chain or cable with padlock for theft deterrence. The problem is chains and padlocks are easily defeated by using cheap and easily obtainable bolt cutters or hacksaws. Also, when chained or cabled there may still be undesired movement. A permanently mounted container cannot easily be made portable when needed. My present invention fulfills the needs of mounting and locking storage containers to vehicles. Such containers lacking needed theft protection include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,524,531, 5,501,355 and 5,224,531.
A device in the past has been invented to fill this need, the patent was issued on Feb. 10, 1982 bearing U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,684. This device is part of an attached container, thus if you need to store items that will not fit into the container then that invention may not be useful. My present invention fulfills the need to be of use with multiple various size containers.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,684 claims at least two spaced parallel anchor rails to which said box may be locked. When two parallel rails are used, if when installed they are slightly not parallel, that invention may not perform. My present invention uses only one mount and thus no items to align properly.
Furthermore, the locking action of U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,684 relies on a rod with bottom angled portion interacting with said rails to prevent theft. The parallel rails leave a space under the box where a thief can insert a long pry bar and apply the force needed to straighten this angled portion and steal the container is easily accomplished. My present invention fulfills the need to secure items by using pins with larger heads that interact with a thickness of metal and leave no gaps to insert pry bar.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,684 is a box where slots are accommodated beneath the bottom portion of the box. This makes that invention not practical for use on walls. The universal nature of my present invention allows it to be mounted to multiple sides of storage container and locked to a floor, wall or even a ceiling.